Canucks Prospect Showcase Notebook: Thoughts on Koskenvuo, Patterson, the invite line, and more

The second and final game of the weekend Prospect Showcase between the Vancouver Canucks and Seattle Kraken prospects wrapped up with a 3–2 victory for Vancouver, splitting the mini-series at one win apiece.

Here are five takeaways from Sunday’s performance at the Kraken Community Iceplex:

1. A strong first impression from Aku Koskenvuo

Despite being drafted all the way back in 2021, Sunday marked Aku Koskenvuo’s first appearance in a Canucks jersey. While the stat line — 21 saves on 23 shots — may suggest a modest outing, the truth is that Koskenvuo came up big when it mattered most.

Midway through the second period, the Canucks’ defensive structure briefly unravelled, leading to a flurry of odd-man rushes. Koskenvuo remained composed, shutting down a clear-cut breakaway and several net-front chances to preserve Vancouver’s lead.

Then came crunch time.

With Seattle pressing late — including a 6-on-4 power play in the dying minutes — the Finnish netminder turned aside multiple high-danger looks, including a dangerous sequence from Jagger Firkus.

“He did a great job, especially down the stretch,” Malhotra said post-game. “He came up with some huge stops as the course of the game went on. He looked far more comfortable in the net in terms of rebound control and just being big and square in the net, but he did a fantastic job, obviously, on this back-to-back getting his opportunity. He made the most of it.”

It wasn’t a high-volume night, but it was a high-quality one — and an encouraging sign from the newest member of the Canucks’ goaltending pipeline.

2. Riley Patterson seizes his opportunity

With Braeden Cootes out of the lineup due to a precautionary injury, Riley Patterson was bumped up to the top line between Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Vilmer Alriksson.

Heading into the weekend, Patterson was one of the prospects we had our eyes on, and he made the most of the opportunity and sent us away happy with his development.

Patterson picked up a slick assist on the opening goal with a clever one-handed feed to Lekkerimäki, and later buried the eventual game-winner with a sharp top-corner snipe from the slot in the third period.

Beyond the points, Patterson played a more refined and detailed game, showcasing his ability to play a strong game up the middle and pitch in a variety of ways.

“Looking at some of the details within his game is really what we’re evaluating over the last couple of days,” said Malhotra. “He did a much better job this evening: physical, making sure he was in the right spot at the right time, and he was a little more tenacious on pucks. From there, he was able to make some good plays between Lekky and Rikky.”

The 19-year-old Niagara IceDogs forward continues to make a strong case as a value selection from the 2024 Draft.

3. The Invite Line shines again

We’re unofficially dubbing them the Invite Line: Aaron Obobaifo, Jakob Oreskovic, and Nick Poisson. None of the three currently hold NHL contracts, but you wouldn’t know it by watching them play.

All three were engaged on every shift, winning puck battles, creating sustained pressure, and playing like they had something to prove.

Obobaifo, who sat out Game 1, displayed standout speed and great poise on his goal. Both Poisson and Oreskovic added two assists apiece and were very much a part of the cycle that hemmed the Kraken in on occasion.

Poisson, in particular, was noticeable across both games and finished the weekend with three points. As a 24-year-old looking to earn a pro contract, he likely turned some heads to give himself a chance to come out with something this fall. An AHL contract, perhaps?

Both Vancouver Giants (Obobaifo and Oreskovic) were passed at the draft podium, but both impressed enough to warrant a closer look to earn a contract down the road.

4. Gabe Chiarot continues to impress

Gabe Chiarot, the Canucks’ sixth-round pick in 2024, built on his strong Saturday night performance with another solid outing on Sunday.

Again, we have to preface that we still view him as a depth long shot piece. But in these events, you simply want to make an impression – and he did.

He didn’t find the scoresheet this time, but his effort level and defensive awareness stood out in every shift. Whether it was tracking back on the backcheck or playing with pace along the boards, Chiarot was consistently involved.

His two-way play has been quietly effective, and he’s made a strong early impression heading into Penticton for his first NHL training camp.

5. Tom Willander settles in

We were critical of Tom Willander after Game 1 — and reasonably so, given his pedigree as a recent first-round pick and one of the organization’s top defensive prospects. But to his credit, Willander rebounded on Sunday.

While he wasn’t dominant, he played a simpler, more calculated game. His reads were cleaner, his defensive posture more assertive, and although he still made some miscalculated outlets, his puck movement was more composed.

He showcased his speed, going on a few skates up the ice, which was nice to see. However, he also ran out of space and lost the puck once in the zone due to being indecisive about what to do next. It’s clear that he has incredible speed, but it does feel like his feet are moving a touch too fast for his hands at times.

That said, he was instrumental in the game’s opening goal, where he did make an aggressive pinch in the offensive zone that directly led to Lekkerimäki’s tally.

There were things to like, but still some details to clean up before main camp.

Quick Hits

• Parker Alcos, like Cootes the night before, was held out of the third period for precautionary reasons. Per Manny Malhotra, it’s nothing to be concerned about heading into main camp.
• Jonathan Lekkerimäki wasn’t dominant, but he was fine and showed good determination, as he does, to hound puck carriers.
• Elias Pettersson delivered another physically assertive performance. He did take the lone penalty of the game — a hit from behind late in the third — but showed that he’s an NHL player ready to make the push for that spot on the third pairing.

Up Next

The prospects will now rejoin the rest of the organization in Penticton for main training camp, running September 18–21. Several of these players — including Lekkerimäki, Willander, and Pettersson — will be among those looking to push for pro jobs or make a lasting impression on management.

Stay tuned for notes on each player in this week’s Blackfish Prospect report.